


A Bar Where Nobody Knows Your Pain

by Quentin_threepwood



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bartender Harry, Drunk Ron Weasley, Harry Potter Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Healer Draco Malfoy, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-12 23:33:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21484654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quentin_threepwood/pseuds/Quentin_threepwood
Summary: On Bonfire Night, Harry finds himself struggling.But at least Draco is there to help.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 127
Collections: Drarropoly 2.0 - A Drarry Game/Fest





	A Bar Where Nobody Knows Your Pain

Harry picked up the pot and pulled back the beer tap, there was a slight rumble and it regurgitated foamy golden coloured beer. He flipped it off and tapped it on the catch tray to settle it, before placing it on the bar. “There Ron” Harry smirked. 

Ron Weasley grinned, his chin had a thick layer of orange stubble. Where he hadn’t shaven for a couple of days. “Ooh. Thanks Harry” Ron grinned and took a sip, “Perfect. The perks of having a best friend who owns are bar.” 

“I co-own a bar. But yes, the perks of having a best friend who is a bartender” Harry corrected. 

Ron rolled his eyes, “So where is Draco? Is he let me guess, at work? Doing his actual job?” Ron commented. 

Harry smirked, “Drink your pint, before I kick you out” he warned playfully. 

“Have to go home soon anyway. Work night you know what Hermione is like” Ron said sighing. “I’m surprised Draco even approves of you bartending, he probably thinks it beneath him or something pretentious like that.” 

Harry ignored him as Ron finished off his beer. “He’s understanding. Give me a yell if anyone wants a beer” Harry commented, as he waddled out from behind the bar. He walked out the front the suburban pub built over a hundred and fifty years ago. Renamed the Stag, Wolf and Dog, just Across the road was a Potion maker, and a grocer. Nestled in a quiet backstreet in the middle of Middleborough a few miles outside of bath. Tonight, there was noise and revelry the beer garden had a good crowd and the bar had been packed before wandered off to see the fireworks and the Bonfire in the centre of town. Harry shivered, Harry pickup up the empty glasses from the tables, weaving through the groups who were drinking and smoking out front. He ended up with a tall stack of glasses as he headed back inside. Putting them over on the sink, knowing the cleaning charm would get to them. 

“I’m going to take a leek before I head home” Ron said rising from his seat at the bar. “Say Hello to the missus for me” 

“Call me missus and I’ll skewer you with my wand” Draco commented from the doorway. 

Harry looked up and smiled, “Ignore him, he’s been here since seven and he’s had more than a few” 

“Weasley don’t you have a wife?” Draco mused as he walked over to the bar. “My usual Potter, double shot of vodka in it” 

“Long night?” Harry asked. 

Draco sighed and sat down on a bar stool. “Busy. Otherwise the usual” Draco said simply, he didn’t like talking about his work. Simply because he needed barriers between work and his home life. And Harry already straddled both as it was. 

Harry handed Draco a vodka sunrise in a cocktail glass. The red and orange blending nicely. “Well. Alright...” Harry nodded. 

There was a loud bang from outside and the sounds of fireworks going off, a cheer erupted from the bar. Harry almost jumped, his hands began to shake and shoved them under his apron turning towards the wall. Bottles of wine and all kinds of spirits from the Bermuda Triangle to Dubai. He focused on the labels, on how full the bottles were struggling to occupy his mind. 

“Harry?” Draco said gently. 

Harry winced; he knew Draco's ‘work’ voice instantly. He put on this gentle calm lilt, reassuring and free of judgement. “I’m fine” Harry lied instinctively. 

Another round of fireworks went off, closer this time. Instinctively Draco was round the other side of the bar in seconds. “Sit” he instructed taking Harry’s shaking hands. “Relax” he encouraged firmly, “Go sit down, please?” Draco insisted, pouting a glass of water. 

Ron looked at Draco and Harry slightly dumbstruck. “What's going on?” He asked frowning. He was slightly too drunk to do this. 

“None of your business Weasley. Although can you do a call out for last drinks, I think we need to close early” Draco considered looking at Harry. 

“I’ll be fine. I just need a minute, it’s Bonfire Night I've got a good crowd, I’ll be fine” Harry insisted stubbornly. 

Draco turned and cupped his face exasperated, he took a deep breath and turned back to Harry. “We’re closing, and I’ll put some silencing charms on the bedroom so you can sleep properly.” 

“Draco. I’m fine. Please, I need to manage this” Harry said standing up and glaring firmly. 

“Harry. This is my area of expertise, and you are my husband. Please listen to me” Draco said slipping back into his Healer voice. “Sit and relax, if you're that worried, I’ll man the bar and you rest upstairs...” 

Harry sighed considering and looked at Draco's pleading eyes. He did care, and he was probably right. “Alright. Alright” he said sitting down on one of the bar stools. “Get to work Draco” Harry smirked. 

“Watch it” Draco drawled eyes narrowing. As he headed behind the bar. 

“I thought you were going home?” Harry said looking over at Ron, who had sat back down. 

“Hermione will understand” Ron said. 

Harry sighed. “Go home” he said firmly. 

“Err. Can I grab another round of beers?” A Wizard in puce coloured robes asked interrupting. 

“Sure” Draco said waving his wand as four glasses poured themselves. 

“Cheat” Harry frowned. There was an art to pouring beer, he found doing it the muggle way made for better drinks. 

“Practical” Draco replied taking the cash, before levitating the beers over. 

Ron turned to Draco curiously, “So what’s going on with Harry?” He said leaning forward. Harry could tell was worried. 

“Don’t tell him” Harry frowned. 

“Oh, come on!” Ron protested indignantly. 

“Can I point out, as a Mind-Healer that dealing with this is my area of expertise, among many. And that having support from your family is helpful” Draco commented. “But as your husband. I’ll support you either way.” 

Harry shifted and leant back. “I didn’t leave the Aurors because I got bored. It... well was the opposite.” Draco leaned over and refilled Harrys glass, tapping the glass with his wand to cool the water. “It was a whole thing with some neo death eaters, idiots who were trying to pay tribute to Voldemort. They were attacking muggles, and a few of us Aurors went after them” Harry took a long sip of his glass. “They were using unforgivable curses, Clayton Hummel he hit with Crucio. And....I started having flashbacks to the war.” 

“Oh” Ron said gently. “Was it bad?” 

Harry almost chuckled but stopped. “Yes, pretty bad. I got checked into St Mungo’s. They thought I’d been hit by a Confundus charm” Harry admitted. 

“I knew better” Draco smirked. “Should have seen his face. Very worth the four years studying” Draco grinned, as he went to serve some more customers. Pouring glasses of beer and cocktails. 

Harry rolled his eyes. “Once I actually let Draco work with me. He made me go to therapy and he helped me manage it. Unload everything” 

Draco nodded gently, “You can’t get rid of PTSD completely. But you can manage it, and for some it will go away. Harry comparatively doesn’t have it too bad, but he still gets set of occasionally.” 

Harry sighed, frustrated with himself, and Draco rubbed his shoulder sympathetically. 

“Harry! Why didn’t you bloody tell me! Or Hermione for that matter. Is Draco the only person that knows?” 

“Lucius and Narcissa know” Harry commented aware that wasn’t a helpful answer. “Normality helps, I don’t have it severely. And everyone would start making a big deal about it.” 

“He doesn’t like attention unless it involves me being naked” Draco remarked from the other side of the bar. 

Two hours later. Draco locked the door after Kicking the last customers out. He’d ended up putting a few silencing charms around. To avoid any more fireworks setting Harry off. “So, is this why you started a bar?” Ron realised. 

Harry nodded, “easier to cope with. Plus, Draco works nights. So, it works out” Harry said with a gentle smile. 

Draco placed his arm around Harry and kissed his cheek. “Bedtime, I prescribe an early night” Draco suggested warmly. 

Ron got up and stretched. “Good idea. Don’t mind if I use your Floo do you?” 

“Go ahead” Draco smiled wryly. 

“Night Harry, Night Draco” Ron said hugging them both individually, he lingered with his hug to Draco. “Thank you I’m glad you’ve been there for Harry. We should have been.” 

Draco brushed him off, “If I didn’t love him, I’d have pushed him off a cliff years ago” Draco remarked, as he walked Ron to the Floo. 

Harry embraced Draco, holding him tightly in his arms. “I love you...” he said into Draco’s shoulder. 

“I love you too. You did really well tonight. But you worry me sometimes” Draco said honestly. Harry smiled, “I know. But I have you looking out for me. That helps” 

Draco smiled and kissed Harry warmly. 


End file.
